PowerBook-G4 12" issues

[Eeri K. <Eer...@in...>]

Hello,

Being new to this list and new to using Linux on a PowerBook G4 12",
let me eagerly report about some experiences about success and
failure here, in the hope to find some help; as some issues are
maybe even PBbuttons-related.  :-)

Installing the latest ppc-variant of Gentoo went very well.  Though,
it appears the X11-server runs only either on a laptop screen, or on
an external DVI-connected screen, not on both in Xinerama mode.
This is probably the "nv" driver issue.  (It appears the 12"-model
features GeForce FX 5200.)

Most notably I have not managed to get the wireless, small-sized
aluminium keyboard to work, in particular the Fn key. This leads to
not having PgUP, PgDown, Home, End neither on console nor in X.  May
I ask for help, if there is something particular one has to pay
attention to?  This external keyboard is probably not running over
bluetooth, as I am not sure this subsystem is running at all (i.e. I
figured out the keyboard principally works independently if I run
"/etc/init.d/bluetooth start" or not).

Then, the wireless Mighty-Mouse doesn't seems to work at all, which
is very unfortunate.  May I ask if anybody has that mouse working
and don't mind to provide some hint what might be the problem.  (I
have done some extensive google'ing to this topic but unfortunately
had no success in finding any solution.)


Then, a not-so-good experience I had is related to the heating. I
started a pretty extensive numerical simulation in the background
and did some heavy LaTeX document compiling in the foreground so all
 cooling fans roared a while ... until suddely out of no apparent
reason the laptop power went off.  It is my un-knowledgeable opinion
this had anything to do with temperature sensing, probably I should
repeat that same stress-test under MacOSX to compare.  I don't know
if pbbuttons has anything to do with temperature sensors or
controlling, if it does, it would be great if I could tune these
parameters at some appropriate place.


(As a positive experience in my short powerbook usage period, it
appears Linux support, in particular for Hauppauge PVR-USB2 is
perfect even on ppc platform and it is definitely more fluent in
operation than ... say a comparable Elgato EyeTV under MacOSX ... on
core-2-duo.)


Greetings,

    Eeri Kask